The present invention relates to a game device for loading a game cartridge in a game machine body to play a game based on game program information stored in the game cartridge.
Some years have passed since home video game devices for enabling games to be played by replacing game cartridges (ROM cartridges) storing the game softs. Recently various entertaining game softs are developed, and playing these games on the video game devices are very popular. Especially supply of especially popular game softs is sometimes short, and such game cartridges are traded at higher prices. In these circumstances counterfeits of such game cartridges are incessantly made. Accordingly, effective security systems are required.
Manufacturers of game softs have contrived various security systems for the prevention of counterfeits of game softs they produced at high costs by sparing a number of workers and a long period of time.
In the conventional security systems, identity of data of a special code or others in game program information with data inputted in game machine bodies is judged, and identity of data of custom ICs mounted in game cartridges with data inputted in game machine bodies is judged.
In an example of the latter security system, an IC chip for the security system is mounted in a game cartridge, and when data, e.g., a name of the manufacturer, a LOGO, etc., stored in the IC chip agrees with data inputted in a game machine body, access to the game cartridge is permitted.
In the conventional security systems, it is unavoidable that in judging identity of game program information with a game machine body, decoding data releases the security. It is also unavoidable that in judging identity of a custom IC with a game device body, a dead copy of the custom IC releases the security.